Weekend Warmup 113

Master Mechanics: Canford Classics Porsche Restoration (Petrolicious)

Canford Classics has been in the business of restoring vintage Porsches for well over a decade now, and Alan Drayson didn’t start the company on a whim, either. He remembers being smitten with the marque since his childhood, and he had his first Porsche at the ripe age of 17; a 912 in need of attention, which Alan gave to it in the form of a restoration carried out after his schoolwork was done (and not always after), fueled by his enthusiasm and financed by his part-time job in a local bar.

The facilities of Canford Classics outclass the garage workspace where Alan’s first Porsche restoration took place all those years ago, but while the tools and knowledge have evolved rather dramatically since then, it’s still propelled along by Alan’s passion and respect for the cars. The team of restorers responsible for the thousands of hours that go into each completed project share that drive, too, and the work they put out speaks clearly to their level of talent. Canford Classics handles everything apart from chrome and powder coating work in-house.

Each restoration begins with a complete disassembly of the car and its driveline, but rather than mailing out the pieces into a spiderweb of outsourcing, you’ll find the Canford engine room busied with machining the valve guides while the bodywork is being painted and perfected downstairs, waiting for its full suspension rebuild from the room next door. In this week’s film, join us on a trip to Dorset to peek into the barn doors of this special operation as we sit down to talk with its founder.

Absolutely Furious – Billy Meaclem (Commencal Bikes)

Not everyone has style, and certainly not style on every type of bike they jump on. Billy Meaclem is just too good to watch, regardless of what he’s riding.

In these cold and somewhat dreary times in the Northern Hemisphere, this video is a breath of fresh air.

Carts Of Darkness (National Film Board of Canada)

Murray Siple's feature-length documentary follows a group of homeless men who have combined bottle picking with the extreme sport of racing shopping carts down the steep hills of North Vancouver. This subculture depicts street life as much more than the stereotypes portrayed in mainstream media. The film takes a deep look into the lives of the men who race carts, the adversity they face and the appeal of cart racing despite the risk. Shot in high-definition and featuring tracks from Black Mountain, Ladyhawk, Vetiver, Bison, and Alan Boyd of Little Sparta.

"Across the Bay" w/ Kyle and Kevin (Transition Bikes)

There's a reason why Bellingham, WA is home to an increasing number of companies and riders. The folks at Transition Bikes figured out years ago that great trails, stunning scenery, and mild weather all year long make for great riding even when winter's grip takes hold. Last February, Transition's owners Kevin and Kyle called their good friend Matt with Targa Boats, and lined up a trip across the bay, to a magical little spot known as Orcas Island.

The Day John John Florence Raised The Bar At Backdoor (Nathan Florence)

The North Shore of Oahu turned on again last week, providing big, perfect barrels for surfers. Local phenoms, Nathan and J.J. Florence were again standouts as the world watched on, daydreaming of surfing waves of the same quality, and wishing they had the talent to do it.

Nathan's intro isn't his best work, so skip ahead to the 2:20 mark and feast your eyes on the incredible surfing that went down at one of the the world's most dangerous, yet beautiful waves.